This invention relates to an improved inspection apparatus and method including multiple light boxes especially useful for loom takeups.
Inspection apparatus in general use utilize a single vertical light box located generally slightly below eye level receiving cloth for inspection from beneath a worker's platform preparatory to guiding the cloth web to a suitable takeup such as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,619,295. The takeup is generally in the form of an off loom surface winder or takeup. In addition to a vertical position light boxes in general use are sometimes sloped back over the cloth row at an angle of approximately 30.degree.. An improved light box has been provided and illustrated in pending patent application Ser. No. 08/222,233 entitled WEB INSPECTION APPARATUS AND METHOD in the name of William J. Alexander, III, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The application discloses a light box having a curved stationary upper surface which acts as a guide for the cloth web passing over the top of the inspection apparatus and thence downwardly for reception upon the cloth roll carried between the parallel driven rolls which act as a surface winder for the cloth roll. Such apparatus provides many advantages including the provision of a simplified inspection apparatus having a relatively low profile so as not to unduly limit the observance of other parts of the weave loom by an operator during inspection of cloth.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,802,035, 3,865,151, and 4,593,725 are further illustrative of the state of the art relating to inspection apparatus for loom cloth takeups.
Because prior art light boxes provide a single lighted surface for viewing generally directly at a right angle to a line of vision of an operator located at a given position relative to the inspection apparatus, it has not been possible for the operators to conveniently view the cloth from different angles while standing in a given position. Moreover, the viewing area afforded by a light box has been limited because of its positioning generally approximately at eye level to the user.
Accordingly, it is desirable that a person viewing the cloth from a vertical or sloped light box be able to view the cloth in an enlarged viewing area provided by the addition of a substantially upright viewing surface located beneath the conventional surface to enhance the capabilities of finding defects and thus improve the quality of the cloth being manufactured by providing several viewing angles or lines of vision to the operator.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved light box arrangement wherein an additional viewing area is provided below the conventional viewing area of an inspection apparatus receiving cloth from beneath a worker's platform.
Many cloth inspectors agree that some defects can more easily be seen by looking directly at while others must be viewed from a different angle to be visible. It is desirable that a cloth inspector standing on the worker's platform be able to look downwardly toward the feet and see the fabric at a different angle from the conventional direct viewing of the fabric.